How to commission a sculpture

If you are interested in chatting to Bill about a commission please take time to read the section on Commissioning a Sculpture below.

Here is what one previous client has said regarding the commissioning of a sculpture from Bill:

“I had never commissioned anything before, let alone a bronze sculpture, so I was delighted to work with Bill and Lesley as they made the whole process so easy and understandable. After some email exchanges, we went to see Bill in his studio to view the Plasticine model he had made. Some on the spot changes were agreed and we saw the final model before Bill went ahead and started sculpting. One further visit was necessary to see the beautiful Lime Wood carving before Bill went on to create the bronze on time and on budget.Not only is Bill a great sculptor, he made us feel at ease in a situation we knew nothing about. There were no surprises on the way. That’s actually not true – we were surprised by the outstanding quality of Bill’s work at every step of the process.”

To Commission a Sculpture – a few basic facts

Bill usually has a full diary so please allow plenty of time for commissions. Normal procedure with commissions is for Bill to provide an approximate quote, and to take a 50% non-returnable deposit before commencement of the sculpture. The final amount is payable before delivery (or, in the case of bronzes, after the master has been vetted by the client, prior to casting). Delivery or installation is not normally included in the quote, unless specifically stated.

Bill carving a Spanish Bull, from plywood.

When commissioning a sculpture it is important to note that even a very simple piece will take at least a week to design and produce, a more complex sculpture can take up to several months, and has to be costed accordingly.

Bill is experienced at commissions of all sizes, from a larger than life size bull to family pets, from trophies to personal mementos. All commissions are treated with the same care and attention to detail. Bill is experienced at guiding you through the commission process and in producing work to deadlines.

Commissioning a Bronze Sculpture

If you are interested in commissioning a “one-off” bronze or bronze resin, please remember that the prices of bronzes and bronze resins on our website cannot be used as a guide. We normally produce our bronzes as limited editions, which means the cost of producing the original model (all bronzes and resins are cast from some kind of original model – see “About the Sculptures“) is spread across the whole edition.

One of Bill’s previous commissions – a full size pair of flatcoat retrievers. Click to see more images.

As you can see from the “About Sculptures” section, it is a complex process and so original “one off” bronzes, will start at several thousand pounds. Bronze resins are slightly cheaper, but the cost of producing the original, and then making the mould and casting, still has to be included.

All quotes for commissions are based on “one off” sculptures. Bill retains all the intellectual property rights to his work and images of his work, including commissions unless otherwise agreed with the client. For some further information, please visit our “Terms and Conditions” page.

If you have any further questions or would like to chat with us about a commission, please contact us (also, details at bottom of page).